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Dr. Kirk W. Pomper received both a B.S. and an M.S. in Horticulture from the University of Minnesota in 1985 and 1989, respectively. He received a Ph.D. in Horticulture in 1995 from Oregon State University.
Since 1998, Dr. Pomper has served as the Principal Investigator of Horticulture and Curator of the USDA National Clonal Germplasm Repository for pawpaw species at Kentucky State University. About 80 percent of our research effort is focused toward developing pawpaw [Asimina triloba (L.) Dunal] as a new commercial crop, with the remaining 20% of our research effort directed toward primocane fruiting blackberry and eastern filbert blight resistant hazelnut trials. Our pawpaw research effort includes: 1) To examine pawpaw rootstock and training systems to influence precocity, yield, and fruit sunburn; 2) To propagate and establish pawpaw variety trials to evaluate promising new varieties for potential release and trademark by KSU; 3) To support on-going efforts related to KSU's role as USDA Repository for pawpaw in germplasm acquisition and preservation, including DNA fingerprinting of cultivars and native patches and examination of fruit acetogenin anticancer compounds in the repository germplasm collection. |
Contact Information:
Kirk W. Pomper, Ph.D
Principal Investigator of Horticulture
129 Atwood Research Facility
Frankfort, KY 40601
Phone: 502-597-5942
Email: kirk.pomper@kysu.edu
Website: http://www.pawpaw.kysu.edu |